Levaya Of HaRav Mendel Weinbach ZATZAL, Rosh Yeshiva of Ohr Somayach

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of the Rosh Yeshiva of Ohr Somayach, HaGaon HaRav Mendel Weinbach ZATZAL.

The Levayah will take place at 2:00PM, from the Yeshiva located at 22 Rechov Shimon Hatzadek to Har Hamenuchos.

Rav Mendel Weinbach was one of the fathers of the modern-day baal teshuva movement in his capacity as co-founder and Rosh Yeahiva of Ohr Somayach Institutions, a Jerusalem-based educational network for young, Jewish men. Since the yeshiva’s founding in 1970, Rabbi Weinbach has taught, mentored and advised generations of students, helping beginners develop their textual learning skills and embrace an Orthodox Jewish lifestyle. He was a father figure to thousands, and leaves behind thousands of Baalei Teshuva whom he was Mekarev.

12 Comments

Boruch dayan haemes. I once heard him speak 25 years ago.I never heard someone speak like him. It was the most amazing shmooze I ever heard. He spoke with with such zeal and power,evry word was uplifting.

This news hit me very hard this morning when I got the email from OS at 5:30 AM. I was one of the talmidim that Rav Weinbach, z’tl brought to Torah, both personally and through his yeshiva in Yerushalayim. Were it not for Rav Weinbach, I would not be frum today, nor would my children. Rav Weinbach’s strength wasn’t just the sheer number of Jews he brought to Torah, but how he did it. Rav Weinbach understood that each Jew finds Hashem in his own way. And he made an environment where each Jew could find Torah and avodas Hasham and make it his own. There was no force, coercion or nonsense as we sometimes hear about in the kiruv movement. It was beauty, love and truth.

I used to treasure going to hear Rav Weinbach speak on Thursday nights in yeshiva. I still listen to his shiurim online. And on Purim in 2001, I received a bracha from Rav Weinbach that I think about and carry with me every day.

In the future, when books are written about the Gedolim of our generation, Rav Weinbach’s name will be among the greatest because of the generations of Jewish neshamas that he saved.

Rav Weinbach zt”l, a talmid of Rav Simcha Wasserman zt”l, was an incredible masmid. He could give the clearest shiurim, make the big decisions that affected thousands, give time and advice to all who sought him – and his mind was always in learning.
When I last saw him, he was finishing a shiur for baalei battim at the shul near his home. He greeted me warmly, gave my son a bracha,happily posed for a picture that we still cherish, and brought me back to those wonderful days of learning in his shiur.
May his family, and all Klal Yisroel have a nechamah.

Either directly through Ohr Somayach or through the efforts of his many talmidim, Rabbi Weinbach touched and changed the lives of tens of thousands of Baalei Teshuva and our families. Two generations that have been drawn closer to Torah. We and our families and B”H our many children and theirs will stand as testimony before Heaven as to what this Gadol has achieved.

And not only in the Yeshiva. He was that way at home and with strange guest. I know I enjoy sitting in his Succah. May Hashem Yisborach send the Succah of Peace over his almanah and children and grandchildren

Got the call this morning. Oy! Words cannot do the Rosh Yeshiva ZTL justice. I just lost my father..again.
Many people complain about the weather but nobody does anything about it. Many people complained about the matzav of fry people in klal Yisroel but THE ROSH YESHIVA DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Oy Tatty! Most fathers make a baruch shepotrani at their son’s bar mitzva. So to speak..The Rosh Yeshiva ZTL NEVER made a boruch shepotrani on his talmidim. He bore us on his shoulders constantly with unending patience and understanding. Just for the record it wasn’t just balei teshuva he dealt with. He also had students who were technically FFBs. To him what mattered was serving the Ribono Shel Olam. I called him almost every 6-8 weeks for the last 20 years. He understood like no one else. He guided with patience and clarity. Ribono Shel Olam who will I go to for eitzas now??? May his family and talmidim be speddily reunited with him with the coming of Meshiach Tzidkeinu and may all their, and our tears be wiped away. Hashem Yisborach should bless his partner Hagaon Harav Nota Schiller Shlita (other Rosh Yeshiva in Ohr Somayach )with the strength and good health to continue on being mekariv the nation.

I have the zechus of being the nephew of Rav Mendel Weinbach z’tl..while I am overcome with sadness today, I feel it necessary to let fellow yidden know that they should recognize, and understand that they have the
opportunity to be attached to a holy neshama today. There is a great explosion in the heavens today, and certainly a regal convocation to welcome my Uncle awaits. He left this world, accepting incredible yisurim shel ahavah, which in no doubt help atone for our misdeeds. May we all take a moment out of our busy day, to daven in his zechus for our own needs, and for his neshama as well. We too should consider that when gedolim leave this world, some responsibility falls upon every one of us to help fill the void.

May Hashem give strength and nechama to Aunt Shaindel, all the children and grandchildren, my Father and Uncle Binyamin, along with all Klal Yisrael.